Valterra Platinum operates Rustenburg Platinum Mine’s Polokwane Smelter which produces platinum group metals (PGMs) through the smelting of sulphide concentrates. This process generates a low-grade slag by-product which is stored in a dedicated engineered slag stockpile.
The slag stockpile at Polokwane Smelter has been developed over a number of phases since 2003. Deposition has taken place on Phases 1to 5A and deposition is currently taking place on Phases 5 B and C. The stockpile facility (Phases 1 to 5D) has capacity until 2030.
Valterra Platinum is proposing to increase the authorised stacking height of the engineered slag stockpile to extend the facility’s operational life. This requires Environmental Authorisation through a Basic Assessment (BA) process and Water Use Authorisation (WUA).
SRK Consulting South Africa (Pty) Ltd (SRK) has been appointed as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner to conduct a BA application process, WUL application (WULA) and associated public participation process for this proposed project.
